The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1887-12-15
WINSTON-SALEM, n. c., THURSDAY,
an argument which involves the wei.
fare and liberal comDensation of our

Our labor is honorable in the eyes
Of every American citizen, and as
it lies at the foundation of our de-
velopment and progress, it is entitled
without affeetation or hypocrisy to
the utmost regard. The standard of
our labor should not be measured by
that of any other country less favored,
and they are entitled to their full
share of all our advantages.
By the last census it is made to
| appear that Of the 17,392.099 of our
| population engaged in all kinds of in
dustries 7,67O,493 are employed in
agriculture. 4,074,238 in professional
| and personal service {2,935,S76 of
| whom are domestic servants and la
borers.) while 1,81O,256 are employed
in trade and transportation and g.
937,112 are classed as employed in
manufacturing and mining.
For present purposes, however, the
last number given should be consid-
erably reduced. Without attempting
to enumerate all, it will be conceded
that there should be deducted from
those which it includes 375, 143 car
penters and joiners, 285, ,401 milliners,
dress-makers and seamstresses, 172,-
726 blacksmiths, 1873, 756 taiIors and
tailoresses, 102,473 masons, 1924
butchers, Al .309 bakers, 22,OS3 plas-
terers aud 4,891 engaged in manu-
featuring agricultural implements.
The aggregate appears to be 1,214,-
023, leaving 2,623,089 persons en-
ployed in such manufacturing in
dustries as are claimed to be bene-
fitted by a high tariff. To these
the appeal is made to save their
employment and maintain their
wages by resisting a change. There
should be no disposition to answer
such suggestions by the allegation
that they are in a minority Of those
who labor and therefore should fore
go an advantage in the interest Of low
prices for the majori4y. Their CON-
pensation, as it may be affected by
the operation Of tariff laws, should at
all times be scrupulously kept in
view. And yet with slight reflection
they will not overlook the fact that
they are consumers with the rest that
they too have their own wants and
those of their families to supply from
their earnings and that the price of
the necessaries Of life as well as the
amount of their wages will regulate
the measure of their welfare and com
fort. But the reduction of taxation
demanded should be 80 measured as
not to necessitate or justify either the
lossofemploymont by the workingman
or the lessening of his wages, and the
profits still remaining to the manu-
tacturer after necessary readjust
ment should furnish no excuse for
the sacrifice of the interests,of his
employees either in their opportuni-
ty to work or in the diminution of
their compensation. Nor can the
workers in manufactures fail to un-
derstand that while high tariff is
claimed to be necessary to allow the
payment of remunerative wages it
certainly results in very large in
crease in the price of nearly all sorts
of manufactures which in almost
countless forms he needs for the use
of himself and his family. He re-
ceives at the desk of his employer his
wages and perhaps before ne reaches
his home he is obliged, in a purchase
for family use of an article which en-
braces his own labor, to return, in
the payment of the increase in price
which the tariff permits, the hard
earned compensation of mony days of
toll.
THE DUTY ON Wool.
The farmer and tue agriculturist
who manufactures nothing, but who
pays the increased price which the
tariff imposes upon every agricultural
implement, upon all he wears and
upon all he uses and owns except the
incsease of his focks and herds and
such things as his husbandry pro-
duces from the soil. is invited to aid
in maintaining the present situation,
and he is told that high duty on
imported wool is necessary for the
benefit of those who have sheep to
shear in order that the price Of their
wool may be increased. They, of
course, are not reminded that the
farmer who has no sheep is by this
scheme Obliged in Lis purchases
of clothing and wooden goods to
pay tribute TO his fellow farmer
as we'll as to the manufacturer and
merchant; nor is any mention made
of the fact that the sheep owners
themselves and their households must
wear clothing and use other articles
| manufactured from the wool they sell
at tariff prices and thus as consumers
| must return their share of this in
creased price to the tradesman.. /
think it may be fairly assumed that a
large prop ,rtion Of the sheep owned
by the farmers throughout the coun.
try are found in small focks, num-
bering from twenty five to fifty. The
duty on the grade of imported wool
which these sheep yield is ten cents
| each pound if ofthe value of the thirty
cents, or less than twelve cents if of
the value of more than thirty cents.
IF the liberal estimate of six pounds
be allowed for each fleece, the duty
thereon would be sixty or seventy
/ two cents. and this may be taken as
the utmost enhancement of the price
to the farmer by reason of this duty.
Eighteen dellars would thus repre-
sent the increased price of the wool
from twenty-five sheep, and thirty six
dollars that from the wool of fifty
sheep. f upon its sale the fGmer
receives this or less tariff profit, the
wool leaves his hands charged with
precisely that SUM which in all its